Spellings: U.S. Offers Model for Educational Improvement

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings touted the success of the federal No Child Left Behind Act before a forum of world education leaders this month, claiming it has helped U.S. students achieve more progress in the past five years than in the previous 30 years combined.

Speaking before a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization meeting of education leaders from member countries in Paris on Oct. 7, Ms. Spellings said the United States “certainly does not have all the answers, but we have learned some valuable lessons—including that we must measure student learning regularly.”

She said it was important to work towards UNESCO’s long-term education goals. “Without specific, measurable progress we will not achieve our shared goals of improved literacy and full access to education by 2015,” she said.

Ms. Spellings, who had delivered a message from first lady Laura Bush, told attendees of her visit this year to Afghanistan with Mrs. Bush, and particularly to the Women’s Teacher Training Institute in Kabul.

“As a result of this program, where teachers train other teachers, our efforts will multiply, and women throughout Afghanistan will begin to lead more hopeful lives,” she said.